Who is a publicist?

When Niira Radia, head of a PR firm, made news for her lobbying, it was a quantum jump for PR professionals in India. So far considered a 'bad word', PR was equated merely with press releases being peddled at newspaper offices or getting a journalist's attention through freebies. Now, the publicist strategises for the client.

Says Anthony Good, who founded the Good Relations Group, in an interview in the book The Art of Public Relations, "Today, PR in UK is much more than newspapers and magazines and is more focused towards strategic and expert counselling. It has gone global as campaigns are run simultaneously across London, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney, etc...

There is a visible move in the business from PRO to a PRC — Public Relations Consultant." Says Perfect Relations head Dilip Cherian, credited with having handled image management for high-profile clients like the late prime minister Indira Gandhi and designer Ritu Beri, "There are three parts to public relations — strategic, which is about right positioning; practical, which includes the daily grind of press releases and photo-ops, and the practical, recognising the need for crisis management."

He adds, "Publicists have to learn that strategy must override the other factors. We're only halfway where we should be internationally. It's about positioning the client in the public mindspace, which is less about advertising or marketing and closer to managerial strategy."

Today, when a PR professional seeks an appointment with an editor, he or she pitches specific 'story ideas' and is expected to have in-depth knowledge of the client's business. Says Deepak Kanulkar, head of Good Relations India, "We're not bell-boys. PR managers need to be part of the think-tank, advising on key matters. PR professionals abroad closely advise management on business issues. It's no longer about creating a fat media coverage dossier."

In Bollywood, too, filmmakers and actors have woken up to the power of publicity. Says publicist Parull Gossain, "From the sidelines, we are now on the centrestage. Earlier, I saw a film I was promoting only at the premiere, now I get to see a rough cut at least a month before. We also get named in the opening credits of films."

Beena Ahuja recalls a moody Salman Khan going incommunicado with journalists during the promotions for Wanted, till she, along with the director and producer Boney Kapoor, had a chat with the star. Says Beena, "Marketing and PR go hand in hand. I get involved with a film at the scripting stage."

How much have things changed over the years? Samir Kale, who heads PR company CMCG, believes strategy requires time and investment in research. He says, "Since 1994, when I started out, expectations have changed. A story has now turned into a commodity." Samir, who tried to create public opinion in his client's favour during the cola pesticide crisis or when there was threat of legislation against courier companies, supports Niira Radia. "If somebody writes an article with her client's point of view, it's their problem, not hers. If I have a specific mandate from a client, I'll make it happen. That's how it works."

As the mandate grows, public relations may no longer be a bad word!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/relationships/work/Who-is-a-publicist/articleshow/7346229.cms#ixzz1BtSjvyZO

Sit still, breathe!

From letting go through speaking gibberish to studying the body's five rhythms, we track some meditation techniques that help you find that calm within

What is the energy that can replace fear?" Goa-based healer Patrick asks a group of people at the end of a meditation, in Delhi's New Friends Colony. The answers are many, but nobody can quite hit the nail on the head, till he answers, "Ego". One's ego should be large enough to not be upset by minor slights and upsets.

Meditation offers a path to find that calm within. As we get caught up in the 'external world', meditation improves attitudes, thoughts, actions and interactions. Spiritual coach Deepak Chopra explains, "The highest form of human intelligence is to be able to observe yourself without evaluation, to be present, to be self-aware."

So, take your pick or try them all!

OSHO'S GIBBERISH
This is a cathartic technique where one feels unburdened, light and young, like a child, says Ma Prema Naina, Osho World Foundation.
How it's done:
First stage: 15 minutes. Close your eyes and begin to say nonsense sounds (gibberish). Without suppressing your thoughts, you can throw everything out. Let your body be expressive.
Second stage: 15 minutes. Lie on your stomach and feel yourself merging with Mother Earth, with each exhalation.

HO'OPONOPONO
Pune-based past-life therapist Shubha Yeri explains its origin, which is rooted in a Hawaiian psychiatrist Ilahekela Hew Lane healing violent, insane inmates of a hospital without ever actually meeting them, by simply healing negative qualities in himself.
How it's done:
There are four sentences in Ho'oponopono which have to be repeated mentally, as many times as you wish:
I am sorry.
Please forgive me.
Thank you.
I love you.
If there is unhappiness, anger or hatred regarding a person, bring him or her in your mind and start to say these lines. Move to the next person or situation. Conversely, start saying the four sentences and you will find people or situations flashing before your eyes. When the 'need' (your own!) is fulfilled, they will vanish.

DYNAMIC MEDITATION
Vikram Badhwar, communications facilitator, recommends dynamic movement, studying the body's five rhythms — flow, staccato, chaos, stillness and celebration.
How it's done:
Start with Flow, visualising water and love. Move keeping a sense of love and celebration. Then, move to Staccato, which uses martial movements. Then we move to Chaos, visualising that the backbone is broken. Stillness is strength, where you're still, allowing sweat to trickle down. Celebration is about freedom.

RAJYOGA MEDITATION
Rajyoga is the spiritual yoga for the mind. Says Brahmakumari Shivani, "It empowers the self and restores it to its fullest potential." It is best done in the morning and at night before going to sleep.
How it's done:
Withdraw energymen-tally from everything around you; turn your attention inward. Create a point of consciousness. Focus on the centre of your forehead. Think of this point as a radiant star, a sparkling jewel or a kindled flame. This will transmit positive energy, making you feel good about yourself.

CIRCLE OF LOVE
This meditation can be done along with the rest of the family. Clairvoyant and artist Dipallé Parmar-Haworth says, "It helps ward off negative emotions and creates a greater bonding."
How it's done:
Sit comfortably in a circle. Give your right hand in your partner's hand and take the hand of another partner in your left hand, so that your right hand is facing down and the left up. The right is giving and the left is receiving. Now chant "aaa-ooo-mmm". Visualise a stream of white light, like a beam, entering through your crown and into your heart and going out steadily from your right hand. While doing so, say to yourself in your mind that "I love myself. I love my —(name of the partner). Continue till you feel a tingling in your palms and it spreads throughout your body. End with a "thank you".

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/spirituality/holistic-living/Sit-still-breathe/articleshow/6498613.cms#ixzz1BtQHnz9S

Play with graffiti!

Artists are having fun with paint, creating graffiti with soul and a sense of fun, says Anuradha Varma

Harun Robert aka Rob on the kids' show MAD

The Berlin Wall, before it was torn down in 1989 became a large canvas for the artistic soul of West Berlin, as visitors created a colourful graffiti of art and messages. It stood for free expression and an open society and is still doing the rounds as memorabilia.

In India, too, graffiti is now becoming mainstream, trying to move away from offensive messages scratched on walls. Painters, graphic artists and even non-artists are using paints to make a difference to their city’s landscape. Graffiti such as ‘Elvis is dead, get over it!’, ‘Run Lola, run!’, etc, that grace random walls along with pop art images are meant to make people smile as they pass by.

Graffiti artist Jas Charanjiva, who has recently moved to Mumbai from the US, created a piece called Human Again, on the people who live under Taliban rule. She has also dealt with female foeticide and Afghan rape victims and is doing a wall at Cafe Goa in Bandra, creating wall art on the fly inspired by a live performance by opera singer Amar Muchhala. Jas recalls, “I was 12-years-old, growing up in California. Skaters were my friends and art on skateboards and skate stickers became my inspiration. This led to my interest in underground art and graffiti.”

She adds, “Graffiti is a powerful art form as it’s usually out on the street accessible to everyone, no matter your status in society, your age, etc. When there’s a message behind the art, graffiti is powerful.”

The Wall Project, that took shape more than a year ago, has totalled over 600 paintings on individual houses, playgrounds, hospitals, etc, and has a core team from Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, who hold day jobs and paint walls in their spare time. The motto is — Life is art and life is design. Advertising, foul language, drugs, religion and political messages are strictly not allowed.

Visual jockey Dhanya Pilo, a part of the project, would prefer the term ‘art in public spaces’ or ‘mural’ rather than graffiti as it usually “has a negative connotation”. She says, “Everything about the wall project is wacky and if you walk around Chapel Road or Tulsi Pipe Road will you sense the humour. We want to get more public art, music, installations, etc, to the public domain. The aim is to create a larger international collective of painters, artists and non-artists who enjoy painting and do public art. We want to initiate and sustain the wall project in other cities of India and involve as many people and teach them to enjoy colour and form.”

She adds, “We are constantly looking for new walls to paint all over Mumbai and want to paint at as many BMC schools, if they allow us. Now, neighbourhoods are beginning to approach us to paint in their areas, but we really respect the citizens who have understood the idea and are already implementing it in their areas, themselves.”

Graffiti artist Jas Charanjiva

Mainstream artists are also using the medium to extend their oeuvre. Manjunath Kamath recently converted 2,000 sq ft of New Delhi’s Gallery Espace into his sketchbook for a week. As a child, Manjunath remembers doing graffiti on the walls of the cowshed at his ancestral home in a Karnataka village. He says, “This time, my theme was on the conscious and subconscious. I drew spontaneously using the walls as my sketchbook. Usually, a sketchbook is like a private diary, but here, the whole process was transparent. A canvas has its own limitations. Unlike my regular work, this was spontaneous and it’s only now that I’m analysing what I created. It was a light, playful space and people came up and talked to me as I drew.”

Mumbai’s Guild Art Gallery too invited 20 artists, including Apnavi Thacker, Atul Dodiya, Baiju Parthan and Bose Krishnamachari to paint on the theme “I think therefore graffiti…”. The aim was to break the glass as well as hold a mirror to society and create a link between the diverse everyday noises of a city —  street vendors, auto-rickshaw drivers, car mechanics, fist fights, panwallahs, etc. Contemporary artist Justin Ponmany chose to recreate a Facebook wall for the project. He says, “Graffiti is an urban phenomenon and there are endless possibilities for art in public places. It’s youthful, opinionated and inspirational. On a Facebook wall, everybody is performing their own graffiti.”

Adds artist Prajakta Potnis, “Graffiti is now a mainstream art. I took the project as a challenge and decided to use my canvas as a piece of fabric. I thought of the themes written on walls and the scratchings on my stairway such as ‘I love you Pooja’. I traced these scribblings behind the canvas and then had it mounted.”

On art in public spaces, Prajakta remarks, “Graffiti in public spaces would mean that you don’t need to walk into a gallery to view art. Instead, art would be all around you.”

One can use art in the home too. Designer Krsna Mehta, for instance, has used wall art for homes, in place of wallpaper, using artists who painted hoardings for old Bollywood films. He says, “I used patterns with foliage and trees.”

Children, who are prone to scribbling on the walls at home, to their parents’ anguish, can also have their energies channelised through graffiti. Says Harun Robert, graffiti and graphic artist, who anchors the arts show MAD on Pogo, “I was first exposed to graffiti as a child when I visited my grandparents in the US. Along with my friends, we started using spray cans to paint friends’ garages, terraces and backyards in Delhi. Graffiti is live performance art. You just have to press the nozzle and the paint appears. On the show, we have created 40-feet portraits of Bollywood stars. For one, we made about 5,000 photocopies of Amitabh’s photograph and pasted it on a giant canvas. From afar, it resembles his portrait and from up close, you can see the snapshots.” A lot of parents, he says, are now fine with their children painting on their walls!

He has used graffiti for live animation too, painting individual frames on a wall, and then wiping them off for the next frame. He also painted walls in Mumbai for the Wall Project. He says, “When I painted on the wall at Tulsibai, kids would walk up, dip their hands in paint and put their prints on the wall. I would morph that into a bird or another character. The whole idea is beautification. In India, we don’t experiment with colour. We don’t see houses in yellows, reds and blues. As long as people are responsible, they should be given more freedom to paint in public spaces.

Whether it’s commenting on a social issue or reflecting a city’s soul, graffiti can be inspiring or simply cheer you up. Next time you’re bored out of your mind, pick up some spray paint and find a wall to be creative!

(This article was originally published in Times Life, Times of India's Sunday supplement)

Collect a slice of history!

From Vishwanathan Anand's iconic gold medal to the first copy of Filmfare and a museum for utensils, can memorabilia become popular culture? Anuradha Varma explores  

 

Not long ago, Indians felt a surge of pride as liquor baron Vijay Mallya brought back Gandhi memorabilia that included his round-rimmed spectacles after paying Rs 9.3 crore at an auction in New York. Before this, he had also bid for and won the sword of Tipu Sultan at a London auction for Rs 4 crore.
 

Besides such venerable pieces of public history, there are other items too that can make it into the annals of popular culture, from sports memorabilia to Bollywood pinups.
 

Actor Rahul Bose recently collected 25 items for an auction by his NGO The Foundation. Luckily for him, chess legend Vishwanathan Anand parted with his 2008 World Chess Championship medal, Abhinav Bindra with the air gun he used to break Olympic records, Saina Nehwal with an Indian Open gold medal among others. Rahul says, “I met Anand for the first time and he parted with his medal; Saina is the most compassionate person I have ever met.”
 

Memorabilia comes in many forms, from a hotelier dedicating a museum to utensils, a bureaucrat finding time to create a storehouse of rare, unreleased songs to a nine-year-old boy collecting issues of Filmfare till he reaches a ripe old age. Recalls 75-year-old Devkishin Vyas, who saw the first Filmfare magazine at a railway station bookshop in 1952, “I liked the cover, which had Kamini Kaushal on it. It cost eight annas then. Since then, I buy two copies of the magazine – one for reading and the other for storing.”
 

Writer and journalist Andrew Whitehead collects political pamphlets, lapel badges and other memorabilia. He says, “One day, in Hauz Khas (Delhi), I came across a slightly battered film poster for Heer Ranjha. I bought it. My mother-in-law said if I had paid more than Rs 2, I was mad. I had actually paid Rs 500. That’s cheaper than any modern art, and it gives me much more pleasure.” It’s important, he believes, for a society to remember where it’s coming from, however quickly it’s moving forward.
 

That’s perhaps what prompts Pankaj Rag, the director of the Film and Television Institute of India, to collect unreleased film music. His collection contains hundreds of unreleased songs of Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Mohammad Rafi, Talat Mehmood and Mukesh. He says, “It has been a passion since I was in college. Among them is Mukesh’s Badi Khoobsoorat Zindagi from the 1972 film Pasand Apni Apni, which is not easily available.”
 

Hotelier Vithal Kamath has also fuelled his passion with a museum dedicated to traditional artifacts, jewellery and household utensils. The museum is housed within Jadhavgad, a 300-year-old fort near Pune. Says Vithal says, “I have been collecting for the last 49 years and I have over 36,000 pieces of antiquity, several gifted by housewives all over India and maharajas. I even have vessels that are 300-year-old. When I discover a new piece, it’s like meeting an old friend and my heart says, ‘Tujhe banaya gaya hai mere liye!’”

 
While international pop icon Britney Spears’ chewing gum can fetch bids online and any collectible related to Elvis Presley and Madonna can send fans into raptures, the culture is still picking up in India. Last year, television show Tere Mere Beach Mein hosted by filmmaker Farah Khan, had celebrities putting up their personal items for a charity auction online. Deepa Thomas of Ebay India says, “Fans want something they can display in their living room or even wear.” A script for the film Jab We Met signed by director Imtiaz Ali fetched Rs 12,300 and Sachin Tendulkar’s cricket bat went for Rs 3,50,000.
 
How about putting up such memorabilia for popular culture for public viewing at a museum? Says conservation architect Vikas Dilawari, “Munshi Premchand and Rudyard Kipling’s houses are lying neglected. Why not convert them into museums for local people to take care of?”
 
Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, managing trustee and honorary director of Mumbai’s Bhau Daji Lad Museum favours getting corporate funding to revamp museums. She says, “We asked the heritage committee for the home where Mulk Raj Anand stayed to be converted into a museum, but it was sold because of greed for real estate.”
 
From first editions of comics to posters of your favourite film and signed copies of sports memorabilia, connections with the past can prove valuable and make for interesting memories!

(The article was originally published in Times Life, Times of India's Sunday supplement)

Are you being teased?

We may have become a liberal society over the years, but women can't escape being groped on the streets and elsewhere. Eve-teasing is a reality that refuses to go away as actress Gul Panag found out when she was manhandled during the Delhi Marathon.

Not long ago, Miss India contestants Priyanka Shah and Ruhi Chaturvedi were harassed by men who entered their train compartment as they travelled from Ludhiana to Delhi. Again, a 30-year-old from Manipur was picked up by four drunk men near Dhaula Kuan in Delhi and raped for over 40 minutes in a moving vehicle.

Kalpana Vishwanath, coordinator, Jagori finds the term eve-teasing a trivialisation and prefers to call it sexual harassment. "The onus of protecting herself rests on the woman. We want to change that. Women have the right to be out at any time of the night and feel safe."

She adds, "There's still a lot of objectification of women in the media. To sell a car, you have a woman standing next to it. The patriarchal system is strong and while there's a change in certain strata, there's also a backlash from men. For instance, they have been barging into the women's section of the metro asking, 'Why do you want privilege?'"

On the impact of eveteasing, Anand Pawar, executive director, NGO Samyak says, "Many times, the education of a girl is discontinued if she reports the incident to her parents. Many girls are married off without their consent to protect 'family honour'. If a young woman doesn't respond positively, she is harassed or made badnaam by various means, including fake social networking profiles." Samyak, a Pune-based communication and resource centre, has launched a campaign for Safe Pune for Women and Girls and is also sensitising men on the issue.

A new study from University of Connecticut researchers Stephenie Chaudoir and Diane Quinn suggests that if women have been subjected to sexist behaviour that can harm them, they're going to be on high alert in the future from other men. Says Chaudoir, "For men who are doing nothing wrong, these (harassers) may be shaping the ways that they're being perceived as well."

In a recent study involving Russia, Argentina, Tanzania and Delhi, over 80 per cent equated being a woman with a feeling of vulnerability. The United Nations Development Fund For Women (UNIFEM) recently launched the Safe Cities programme in collaboration with the NGO Jagori and the Delhi Government. In a study, they found that roadsides and public transport are the most vulnerable places where women face the highest risk of sexual harassment. Out of 3,813 women surveyed in Delhi, 70 per cent reported that they avoided going to secluded places, another 50 per cent keep away from crowded places, while 43.5 per cent avoid wearing 'certain kinds' of clothing; 40 per cent avoid going out alone after dark. Physical harassment is highest among school students (41 per cent). At around 51 per cent, stalking is highest among college students. And only 0.8 per cent women approached the police to report the harassment.

Says women's rights activist Madhu Kishwar, "Eve-teasing is the result of an unstable society, which lacks shared values. It's mostly done by men who know they can get away with it. Try doing it in a village and the whole community will be up in arms against the perpetrator of the crime. Also, our films show the hero teasing the girl to win her over, hinting that the girl secretly likes it."

Madhu also disapproves of girls dressing provocatively, "Look at what they wear — the clothes scream, 'Notice me'."

Most women across India have built-in defence mechanisms to counter eve-teasing. While many take radio cabs at night, some carry pepper spray to counter an attacker. A journalist remembers bikers following her for 30 minutes as she drove home from a late-night assignment, commenting, "Where are you going alone? Take us with you." Another girl recalls making a close escape from the driver of an auto who tried to get physically abusive in an isolated spot in an upmarket part of Delhi. Such incidents can mean long-term trauma for a victim. Says psychologist Rajiv Mehta, "Anxiety and depression is common. It can put a person off sex or the opposite sex in future. It also erodes self-confidence."

As for the law, though the Indian Penal Code does not define the word eve-teasing, there are three sections which deal with the crime — Sections 509, 294 and 354. Explains lawyer Deepak Miglani, "These sections make gestures or acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman or acts that intrude upon her privacy a crime. The provisions under these sections and the procedural laws are complex and the type of proof that is required makes it very difficult to get the culprit punished."

Till society wakes up, women have to continue relying on themselves to stay safe in public spaces!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/relationships/man-woman/Are-you-being-teased/articleshow/7047078.cms#ixzz1BtELlHvN

Are you living a good life?

Living a good life means different things to different people. How does one live a fulfilling life? Is it about making charity a daily part of your life, having a friend or companion, reducing envy and nurturing your home... Anuradha Varma finds out the things that make life worth living
Don't envy anyone: Be spontaneous and keep your life uncluttered from feelings of envy. Says filmmaker and columnist, Pritish Nandy,  “I have only three simple rules. Fall in love whenever you want to. It’s the surest way to happiness. Never be envious of anyone. Envy is lowly. Try yoga. It never fails you.”

Work on yourself: You are responsible for what you’re thinking and the person you ultimately are. Work on yourself everyday. Focus on the larger picture even as you fulfill your daily responsibilities. Says theatreperson Lushin Dubey, “I try to make each day rich for myself, starting with prayer in the morning and ending with prayer in the evening. I fill the day with what I love most, ie, my work. In between, I fulfill my duties as a mother, wife and daughter because I truly believe that one has to feed one's own 'self'' along with what we owe others. This constitutes a balanced way of living.”

Don't take tension: Get a good night’s sleep. And that takes some effort, ensuring there are no unresolved conflicts or negative situations crowding your mind when you hit the pillow. Recommends former diplomat and author Bhaichand Patel, “Don’t let anything disturb your sleep. Don’t take tension. Walk away from unpleasant situations and people. It’s not worth the hassle. I prefer to stick to people who like me and who I like. If you’re at fault, apologise and move on.”

Learn a skill: Have a goal that fires your imagination and makes you feel alive as you pound away at it. Says author Chetan Bhagat, “It could be learning a skill, getting a qualification, a promotion or your health related goals. Without goals, life becomes directionless and even with all the money and comforts in the world, quite dissatisfying. When the goal is achieved, set a new one. Don't kill yourself over it but keep making efforts to reach it.”

Dance and sing without inhibition: Listen to your inner voice and stay true to yourself. Says writer Shobhaa De, “Trust your judgement, go with your intuition rather than logic sometimes and never compromise on your values and principles.... Dance and sing without inhibition – that’s the best therapy in the world.”

Life is about compassion, surprise and wonderment: Don’t wonder at the purpose of life… feel grateful for the fact that you’re alive. And allow this awareness to enrich every moment of your day. Says Deepak Chopra, “I’ve lived in the constant awareness that my existence is a highly unlikely event. That I exist is a constant source of wonder and surprise. This has made me ever grateful and made love and compassion the most important values of life.”

Accept the bad with dignity: Go slow on expectations from the world around. Don’t sweat the small or big stuff and take ups and downs in your stride. Says artist Akbar Padamsee, “Never plan. When things don’t turn out the way we wished, we get frustrated. Accept a situation for what it is… there is always a reason for it.”

Don’t retire from life: Don’t rest on past laurels. Former diplomat and author Bhaichand Patel remarks, “Even when you retire, don’t retire from life. Don’t wake up at 8 am not knowing what to do with your day.” Dev Anand is an ideal example. When a publicist met the veteran actor and praised his past movies, he retorted that he’s rather focus on his upcoming movies!

Nurture your own garden: Be creatively occupied in making your house a home and keeping close ties with nature. Khushwant Singh in his book Absolute Khushwant recommends, “Rented places can never give you the comfort or security of a home that is yours for keeps. If it has garden space, all the better. Plant your own trees and flowers, see them grow and blossom, and cultivate a sense of kinship with them.”

The gift of giving: Make charity a part of your daily routine by giving leftovers to the needy, fruits to streetkids, etc. Says Sunita Menon, “It’s the basic principle of karma in action, and you get back what you give. The act of charity also makes you feel good and encourages detachment, as you learn to give away material possessions. Start small, by giving away Rs 10 or Rs 100 or dig into your cupboard. Just give!”

(This article was originally published in Times Life, Times of India's Sunday supplement)

Are we free creatively?

Akshay Kumar in and as Tees Maar Khan

With the ban on the word ‘tawaif’ in a song and curbs on books and art, how much freedom do we really enjoy? Anuradha Varma reports
 
When actor-producer Shah Rukh Khan launched his film Billu Barber a couple of years ago, barbers protested. The actor, having duly removed the word barber from the title, joked that he hoped a 'Billu' would not turn up to protest! Well, this time round, for director Farah Khan's Tees Maar Khan, the censor board seemed to have had similar fears as it objected to the name Sheila (in the song Sheila ki Jawaani) and display of Sheila's belly-button. While the two survived, it has beeped out the word 'tawaif' in a dialogue.

From art to cinema and literature, India has often come down on creative freedom. Not long ago, we lost celebrated painter MF Hussain to Qatar as the Hindutva hate campaign escalated back home, and removed Rohinton Mistry's Such a Long Journey, which had been shortlisted for the Booker from the literature syllabus of Mumbai University. Faced with the threat of riots and revenue losses, filmmakers and other creative artists are often forced to bow before the rabble-rousers.

Says Shamshad Hussain, painter and MF Hussain's son, "My father was targeted for being successful and a Muslim. The authorities don't understand art. At one point, our studio was raided and my brother's artwork was taken away, mistaking it to be my father's. Politics should not be mixed with art."

Can we have a book like The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ written and published in India? How free are we, really, when it comes to creativity Says VK Karthika, publisher & chief editor, HarperCollins India, "I don't think there is anything at all to be gained by banning a book, and certainly not for the reason that it might provoke or hurt a community. Thankfully, there are very few books/writers who have suffered a stay or a ban for reasons other than allegations of personal libel.

"When Hindi writer Yashpal wrote the novel Jhootha Sach in 1958,he was passed over for the Sahitya Akademi Award given by the government because of the criticism of the Congress and of Jawaharlal Nehru. The anti-establishment rebel was finally bestowed the Padma Bhushan in 1970. Says Anand, Yashpal's son, "Eventually, the same administration recognised the book's importance and, among other honours, had government institutions translate it into all the official languages of India. For me, this is the proof that censorship and curbs on free speech may suppress the creative spirit and the voice of the people for some time, but that voice and spirit cannot be silenced for all time. "Sridhar Rangayan knows how it is to live and work on the fringes as a gay activist and filmmaker. His film The Pink Mirror, an unapologetic view of the life of drag queens, was rejected by the censors in 2003.

With his next film Emotionally Yours, he avoided the censors and India, and screened the film abroad. Both films are hits on the international festival circuit. Says Sridhar, "They found the content too in-your-face, but that's exactly how drag queens are in reality. My characters were also comfortable in their skin and not looking for any kind of redemption, a fact the censors could not digest. They go by the book and can't rise above it. "However, filmmaker and theatreperson Feroz Khan, makes a case of differentiating between genuine dissent and a buzz to garner publicity for a cause. He says, "There is a very fine balance. Nothing could have been more wonderfully orchestrated than a young man ( Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray's grandson Aditya) wanting to be politically baptized, a spineless vice chancellor almost conniving to be part of it, the media feeding into it and the funniest part, ultimately, the boy is baptized, the book is banned from the curriculum and its sales are up!"

He adds, "Artists are sitting ducks. During the My Name is Khan controversy, the government backed the movie's release. Many others don't get that. Is the state going to protect you I don't think so."

Dissent may not be a bad thing, but it's important to choose the cause well!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/relationships/work/Are-we-free-creatively/articleshow/7258088.cms#ixzz1Bt9jETg7

Reality bites

Remember Sandeep Acharya? He won the second edition of Indian Idol four years ago. However, once the hype died down and the flashbulbs retreated, Sandeep was left trying to enter the big, bad world of Bollywood... he's still trying.

While reality shows provide a spot in the limelight, it's up to the participants to work hard and use the platform for steady growth. Ashutosh Kaushik, too, has learnt to take struggle in his stride after winning Bigg Boss and Roadies. He says, "Even Shah Rukh Khan struggles to retain his position. I'm also trying my luck." As he takes up acting classes and does the rounds of producers and directors' offices, his dhaba in Saharanpur continues.

As reality shows spawn winners and losers, even if the fame is fleeting, the journey is a memorable one. Nouman Sait, who won Roadies 6, is trying to move up in the glamour lane, as brand ambassador of a denim brand. He admits, "Winning a reality show does get you more respect, even from family."

For Sandeep, too, it's not as if all was lost. The Rs 1 crore prize money helped the boy from Bikaner buy a flat in Mumbai.

Sourabhee Debbarma, who followed in Sandeep's footsteps two years ago, also struggles to find a foothold. "The channel could have us participate in other reality shows, so that people remember us," she says. And while being the only female Indian Idol is her calling card, getting a break has so far proved elusive.

When Harsh Vardhan Navathe became the first ever 'crorepati' on Kaun Banega Crorepati, reports later said he had slid into depression as constant public demands almost cost him his academic dreams. There have been happier stories, too. Actor Dharmendra started his career as the winner of a Filmfare talent show. Music director Shekhar Ravjiani (of Vishal-Shekhar fame), singers Kunal Ganjawala and Shreya Ghoshal used a reality show to come into the limelight.

Recently, Rahat Tasneem, a housewife who ran a stitching centre in Jharkhand's small-town Giridhi, stunned India with her confidence when she won Rs 1 crore in this season's Kaun Banega Crorepati. She recalls, "It was a junoon (obsession) to participate in Kaun Banega Crorepati. Each time I got a question right, my confidence grew. I plan to open my boutique and can give my two children the best."

India's first master chef Pankaj Bhadouria was pushed into auditioning for the show by her children. A teacher for 16 years, she quit her job when she was denied leave to participate in the show. Says the lady from Lucknow, "If the show hadn't happened, I would have continued to cook for family and friends and enjoy their compliments. It's never too late to pursue your dreams." After the reality show, comes the reality check... and if you can ride that out, you're a true winner!

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tv-/Reality-bites/articleshow/7246746.cms#ixzz1Bt7FOGEL

Decade's Most Memorable Ads!

Some ads are forever ... they make us smile and even become part of the lingo. Anuradha Varma goes behind the scenes of a few memorable ads from the decade

 Hutch's pug Cheeka, 2003 & Vodafone's Zoozoos, 2009
The initial idea for the You & I campaign, with the tagline 'Wherever you go, our network follows' was to have a little girl follow the boy, her older brother. Later, the idea was to get a Labrador or Golden Retriever, but they were too big. They then got a Fox Terrier which lacked e n e r g y during the shoot in Goa. With half a day left, they finally found a couple with their pug Cheeka. Recalls Sneha Iype of N i r va n a Films, "He instantly started following the boy, Jayaram, around. They were magical together." Later in 2009, came the Zoozoos, alienlooking people wearing white body suits, aired during the IPL Season II. Says Rajeev Rao, creative director, Ogilvy India, "The name Zoozoo was as mad as the character — it didn't mean anything but was catchy." 

Asian Paints' Wah Sunil Babu, 2004
A neighbour comes calling and is impressed by Sunil babu's new house, car and svelte wife. He says, "Wah! Sunil babu, naya ghar... nayi gaadi... nayi Mrs. Badiya hai!" A few years later, the car has turned to junk, the wife has put on weight, but the house is as good as new. The commercial was directed by ad man Prasoon Joshi. Recalls Abhijit Awasthi, Ogilvy India, "It was a funny take on nosy neighbours and their snide comments. In the script, the line had to be 'Kya baat hai'. But the actor Jameel ended up saying 'Badiya hai' and we retained that."

Cadbury's Pappu Paas Ho Gaya, 2005
Amitabh Bachchan plays a shopkeeper selling chocolates. He has college students coming to him, buying chocolates, saying Pappu will pick up the tab. Finally, he finds out that Pappu, a middle-aged man with a paunch, has finally cleared his 12th exams! Says Vivek Waghmare of Apocalypso Films, which filmed the commercial, "For Pappu, we held over 35-40 auditions before we decided on the right person." Abhijit Awasthi of Ogilvy India, who worked on the commercial, recalls a cabbie in Pakistan telling him this was his favourite commercial. He adds, "It's the story of the underdog who makes it big."

Naukri's Hari Sadu, 2006
The ad for the job portal Naukri had an employee answering a call on his boss' behalf, spelling out his name as 'H' for Hitler, 'A' for Arrogant, 'R' for Rascal and 'I' for Idiot. Sanjay Sharma, Draft FCB Ulka says, "The thought was that people leave bad bosses, not jobs." The punchline came during the shoot. The team groped for a way to end it with a bang, and it finally came in the form of the boss' chamcha adding 'S' for Shameless! Recalls Sanjay, "At first, the client felt the ad and the joke may be too kiddish, but wisdom prevailed."

Idea's What An Idea, Sirji, 2008
The Idea commercials made a mark when they showed brand ambassador Abhishek Bachchan solving problems related to caste and governance through the mobile phone. Says Ashwin Jacob Varkey, creative director, Lowe, "We wanted to play with the word 'Idea' and provide telephonic solutions to problems. We didn't just need a clever idea, but a big idea, so we could say 'What an idea, Sirji'." The walk when you talk commercial in the series came during brainstorming, when "we talked of how we are used to sitting while talking on the phone, even though it's a 'mobile'."

Surf's Daag Achche Hain, 2009
A boy is on his way back from school with his kid sister, when she falls into a puddle and soils her uniform. The boy 'attacks' the puddle, saying "tujhe abhi dekhta hoon" with the girl crying out, "Maaro, aur maaro". Says Arun Iyer, Lowe, "The children were stuck for four hours at the airport and spent time playing with each other. In the end, when the girl laughs at the scruffy boy, it was totally unscripted." In another ad, the schoolboy empathises with his teacher who is grieving over her dog's death, by acting like a puppy to make her smile. Adds Arun, "The boy was having so much fun that he added his own tricks."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tv-/Decades-Most-Memorable-Ads/articleshow/7297160.cms#ixzz1BsiBO200

Live action for Assam's mobile theatres

Assam's mobile theatres are a match for cinema as they combine carnival and drama to entertain live audiences

ANURADHA VARMA, Apr 11, 2010

An Assamese in her mid-30s remembers watching the Mahabharata on stage as a child. "The special effects were great. During Draupadi's climactic scene, the saree wouldn't end as it was being unravelled. I still wonder how they did it!"

That was the state's mobile theatre, a culture that was revived over 40 years ago and has stood the test of time, as over 30-35 groups tour every year to stage plays to a 2,500 strong audience under a shamiana. The plays borrow their plots from Shakespeare's works, and even Hollywood blockbusters like The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Anaconda, Titanic, recreating dinosaurs or scenes of a plane hijack on a dual stage measuring over 80 feet, with the production costs being close to Rs 80 lakhs.

Coming soon to New Delhi at the invitation of the National School of Drama (NSD), the tours are community affairs where a group of about 150 including actors, musicians, lightmen travel together along with their kitchen as they move across the state in a couple of trucks, buses and over a dozen cars. The group comes together in July, rehearses for about a month-and-a-half and is then ready to hit the road with about three new plays. Says Hengool theatre's Sankalpajit Hazarika, "We stay for three days in one place, staging two to three shows every night."

The traditional theatre, with its urban themes is different from the 'jatra' in West Bengal and the 'tamasha' of Maharashtra. The music, too, has turned digital and Hazarika says, "We bring out albums of songs from our plays, which are sold at the venue and in shops." The point of reference is the cinema and many popular artistes from the film and music industry are involved in the plays.

Says actor Adil Hussain, who played actress Vidya Balan's husband in the film Ishqiya and started his career in the mobile theatre over a decade ago, "The discipline was great and I truly admire the workers who set up the show overnight; it all works like clockwork." A carnival-like atmosphere is built up, with food stalls springing up at the venue.

NSD graduate Biplab Borkakoti, who is researching the phenomenon, is fascinated with the quick changes as the scenes onstage change within a couple of minutes, and the action shifts swiftly from one stage to the other, sometimes even taking place simultaneously on both. The scripts have changed over the years, says Borkakoti, "Melodrama ruled in the 60s, with stories of Shahjahan and Anarkali. The Assam movement saw the scripts taking on political overtones, which was followed by a period infused by romance and Amitabh Bachchan's brand of cinema."

The mobile theatre provides employment to nearly 10,000 people directly and indirectly. Says the leading Kohinoor group's producer 70-year-old Ratan Lahkar, whose uncle Achyut Lahkar revived the art form, "Our charity shows contribute over Rs 25 crores to Assam's development and education annually." The theatre owners get about Rs 50,000 per show, with profits split for repeat shows. The tickets are in the range of Rs 500 to Rs 700 for three days, at times lower. Multiply that by an audience of 2,500 per show and it makes good business sense.

Even as the concept goes strong, some changes are called for in terms of better scripts. Says Hussain, "It faces the same problem that plagues Bollywood. Commercials override creativity." But, as Hazarika reiterates, "It's all about entertainment and making sure the audience goes back home happy."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/people/The-action-goes-live/articleshow/5778054.cms#ixzz1BsglVBnv